


The Counsellor

by adrift_me



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: AU prompt, Camelot, Canon Era, Fun, Gen, Humour, Mini, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-24 00:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6134920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrift_me/pseuds/adrift_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr AU Prompt.</p><p>Arthur has been receiving useful tips on managing his mighty kingdom from a complete stranger, who though proved to be useful, seemed to have terrified the whole of Camelot. But who could this counsellor be?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Counsellor

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a [Tumblr AU prompt](http://dailyau.tumblr.com/) "We’ve been communicating entirely by email/phone/carrier pigeon/paid messenger for the past year as we work to bring some peace and order to this troubled land, so when I walked into the negotiation room to sit down with the fearsome and terrible politician/businessperson/famed warrior that all my people are so afraid of, I didn’t really expect it to be you AU".
> 
> Just having a bit of fun with the beloved fandom and characters. Meant to have exercised my humour writing, but I think I failed. Nonetheless!

Arthur walked down the corridor with a rather kingly air, his red cloak flapping behind. Followed by a couple of devoted knights, who had a no less kingly look about themselves, the King stopped at the large doors of the council chambers. Their magnificence was not only the sign of wealth and importance, it was very much meant to impress. And Arthur Pendragon had quite hoped that impress he will.

For a year he had the strangest communication with a mysterious man. It started abruptly, as one day Arthur received a sealed letter which was left on the window of his chambers, and this was the highest tower. The letter contained several remarks and tips on Arthur’s current ruling and it could be fairly called a piece of advice on managing the kingdom. First simply laughing and burning the letter, he soon found out that, for the lack of a better word, tips proved to be useful, intelligent and sometimes extraordinary brave. He was unsure how he could send his replies or questions to the unknown counsellor until he decided to simply leave his parchment rolls on the window. From where they disappeared, of course.

It was no problem at all for the King to deliver the messages to the knights and the Council. He simply pretended to have come up with these decisions on his own, and it proved useful. They brought the land of Camelot to prosperity, ruled by justice, honour and nobility of heart. It was then that the King’s conscience took over and he revealed the existence of a secret advisor. The whole land knew of a great supporter of Camelot but they all trembled if one day such a great politician shall turn his back on the kingdom and will ruin them all.

It was this day that the King and the counsellor were to meet. He must have already arrived to the council chambers and must have been awaiting the King’s arrival. Arthur sticked his chest out importantly and nodded at the guards. He thought he saw one of the guards screw his face as if trying to suppress a laugh, but surely the man must have a death wish to do so in front of the King, had the King forgotten to wipe his morning breakfast off his mouth. A kind soul as he was, Arthur simply ignored it and watched the guards open the grand doors.

“King Arthur Pendragon has ar...”

The knight who took the responsibility of introducing the King stopped. All of the arrived party stared at the only distinctive person inside. The person was sitting in Arthur’s throne-like chair, his long gangly legs up on the table and his arms crossed behind his head. He seemed to have been sleeping, his eyes closed.

It must have been a joke for this couldn’t be the counsellor. Surely, counsellors didn’t come in shabby peasant clothes, their black hair messy, their posture so relaxed and so careless. Most importantly, counselors just couldn’t be King Arthur’s manservant.

“Merlin!” exclaimed Arthur, quickly pacing down the chamber and up to the young man in his chair. He grabbed his shoulder and shook it lightly, staring angrily in Merlin’s face. “What are you doing here? I have an important meeting.”

“Oh!” he woke up and blinked a few times, looking at the King. “Right. Um. I thought it’s time you met the counselor, so...”

“What are you saying?” Arthur’s eyes widened so much that he had quite an eerie look about himself, gritting his teeth as well.

Merlin had to muffle a snort that almost came out of his mouth. Arthur’s lips, pressed together so hard that they almost turned white, trembled.

“Council dismissed,” he said loudly for everyone in the room to hear. His breathing was so fast that it could easily create wind inside the chambers. Merlin’s face went from sleepily sheepish to almost scared. Arthur shook his fist dramatically.

“You! All this time!”

“I thought you liked the advice I gave you,” said Merlin with an infuriatingly happy grin.

“Merlin, you idiot! You scared half of the estate by your letters,” the situation seemed so ridiculous that Arthur couldn’t help a nervous laugh, that escaped his white lips. He slapped Merlin’s neck and the servant had to cower away. He looked at the King in a manner of being very pleased with his mischief though, his eyes almost twinkling. Arthur sighed and laughed out loud at the stupidity of what had happened.

“So...” Merlin started carefully as both of them stopped laughing. “Do you think I can continue doing this? Helping you?”

“Of course, Merlin!” said Arthur, slapping his servant’s back, maybe a bit harder than a friendly slap would be. “But right after you polish my armor. And muck out the horses. And clean my chambers. And wash my clothes!”

“Nothing new then?” said Merlin with a flash of a smile across his sheepish face.

“Nothing indeed,” replied Arthur, grabbing his servant’s neck and pulling him out of the council chambers.

 

**Author's Note:**

> For any questions, typo reports and suggestions, please contact me on [Tumblr](http://toffy346.tumblr.com/)


End file.
